OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

RedBear1961 — Fri, 24 May 2024 21:41:22 GMT

OKC Bombing Memorial

I am a Senior at Arizona State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Digital Photography.

I took this with my Canon Rebel T6i, using my EFS 18-55mm kit lens.

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

Tintype_18 — Sun, 26 May 2024 18:30:57 GMT

Very good photo with the monuments, reflecting pool and the sky. My complements.

I have a T7 and it's smarter than me. After 6 years, I'm still learning.

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

Tronhard — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 03:49:55 GMT

Given you are a fine arts student, I am going to be picky here, and I hope this will be positively received.
The subject and scene are beautiful, and you chose an excellent time of day to highlight the monument lighting and yet keep the sky - enabling a shot with the gear you have showing excellent control of exposure and general composition. The image suggest an area of solemn peace and contemplation, of rest, but...

Your camera is a touch off horizontal, which means that my eye immediately is caught with the dropping angle of the ground towards the tilting memorial, and it instantly distracts me and breaks the tranquility of the scene.

I am sure you are familiar with the compositional principles that vertical and horizontal lines suggest stability - emphasis on vertical suggesting power (which is likely why people build tall monuments or worship mountains), while dominant horizontals imply peace, especially if centred in the vertical aspect of the FoV. Canon 5DMkIII, EF 24-105@24mm, f/6.3, 3.2sec, ISO-160 As soon as an image it tilted - even a tiny bit, it become dynamic and it creates tension, almost encroaching on our own sense of stability and possibly making us feel off balance. This can be intentional via the use of a Dutch Tilt (which is the bastardization of the term Deutsch Tilt: actually likely German origin), but usually requires an angle that is dramatically off the vertical to create a dynamic or tense statement - I have had it suggested at least as much as 15deg - certainly, to look like you meant it. Such an example is this image of a racing car in an opulent area of Auckland Marina, which is itself almost horizontal at the level of the wheel base, but I have converted the perspective distortion of a wide-angle lens up close into rotation of the rest of the scene, throwing it off kilter. I wanted to capture the aggression of the car in its well-heeled, but otherwise placid environment.
Sony RX-10IV @ 24mm, f/8, 1/400sec, ISO-100

Shooting just a little bit off, even part of a degree, is going to be a distraction (conscious or otherwise) - the longer the lines the greater the effect. I would hate this to distract from your otherwise great image.

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

RedBear1961 — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 13:44:29 GMT

Noted

topic Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise in Share Your Photos

OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise

Re: OKC Bombing Memorial at Sunrise